Field engine starter



Get. 23 1923. C. P. BREESE FIELD E-NGINE STARTER Filed Feb- 17. 1921 5sh ets-sheet 1 Oct. 23, 1923. 1,473,379

- c. P. BREESE FIELD ENGINE STARTER Filed Feb. 17. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 2Elvwumto z m'm sw C. P; BREESE FIELD ENGINE STARTER man 23-, ww

Filed Feb. 17 1921 Get 23, 1923., mwmw c. RBREESE FIELD ENGINE STARTERFiled Feb. 11(1921 5 smm shm 4 Oct 23, 1923. 72379 C.P.BREESE FIELDENGINE STARTER Filed Feb. 17, 1921 5 Sheets-$haet 5 a I W I a W o W J w11 Q m N w Ptent Get. 23, 1923.

enemas r. BREESE, or rm romonro.

FIELD ENGINE STARTER.

Application filed February 17, 1921.

To all wlzom z't may 6'0Ib067'n.

Be it known that 1, CHARLES P. Bunsen, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Field Engine Starters,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to field engine starters, the object in viewbeing to produce port- 1 able means of a practical nature adapted tostart aeronautical engines, and especially the engines of airplanes.

It will be understood that at aviation fields or centers, a large numberof machines are employed and said machines are usually of various typesand sizes so that the engines and propellers are located at differentdistances from the ground level, and furthermore-the angles of theengine and propeller shafts vary greatly. It is therefore necessary, inthe production of practical field engine starters, to providemeans-quickly and easily adjustable-whereby the driving power of thestarting mechanism maybe ap- 2 plied directly to the propeller shaft forthe purpose of. imparting rotary motion thereto.

This is particularly important in cold' weather, much time being lostand great danger being involved under the present method of crankingpropellers by hand.

With the above general object in view, the

invention consists'in the novel construction,

combination and arrangement herein fully described, illustrated andclaimed. In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the field engine starter, showing theworking relation thereof to the propeller shaft. of an aeronauticalengine;

Fig. 2 is an end view thereof taken at a right angle to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an en arged, vertical, longitudinal section throu h thestarter;

. Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken at a right at angle to Fig. 3,showing. the driving means between the motor and the starter shaft;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken just Serial No. 445,665.

moved from place to place by a wheeled truck, designated generally at A.The

body or platform 10 of said truck has an opening 11 therein surroundedby an upstanding combing 12, thus formin a cockpit for the startingmechanism. rranged in the cockpit are parallel track rails 13, havinglongitudinal slots 14 in the upper sides thereof to receive headed boltsor runners 15 which extend downwardly from a slidable supporting base16, said base being in the form of an open rectangular frame withre-enforced corner blocks 17, each containing a nut 18.

Passing through the nuts 18, four in number, are vertical elevatingscrews 19, the upper ends of which are connected by bevel gears 20 and21 to counter-shafts 22, so that all of the elevating screws 19 may besimultaneously and equally rotated for the purpose of raising andlowering the elevating platform 23 which is supported on the upper endsof said screws. The hand wheel 24 on one of the counter-shafts 22provides means for imparting motion to the elevating mecha- The slidablebase 16 is actuated by means of a sprocket chain 25, which asses aroundsprocket wheels 26 on shafts 2 at the front and rear ends of thecockpit, the opposite end portions of said sprocket chain passing undersaid sprocket wheels being-fixedly secured at 27 to the opposite endbars of said slidable base. One of the shafts 26 has a tudinally bybraces 37.

ratchet wheel 29 thereon, which in conjunction with a ratchet lever 30enables the shaft 26 to be rotated, thereby shifting the slidable basein one direction or the other. The slid-- able arrangement ust referredto, taken in connection with the elevating means, forms a part of themeans for adjusting the starter shaft, hereinafter described, intoactual alignment with the engine shaft, as will hereinafter appear.

The elevating platform supports what is in etlect a universal joint,illustrated generall at B, the same comprising a lower bowlshaped orconcavo-convex member 31 secured to the elevating platform 23 byfastening means 32, and an upper bowl-shaped or concavo-convex member 33which fits into the lower member 31. The members 31 and. 33 are formedwith central openings to receive the shank of a clamping member 3 whichmay be tightened or loosened tor the purpose of clamping or unclampingthe upper member 33. This enables the mechanism supported upon the uppermember 33 to be turned to another angle or tilted to any direction andto any degree for the purpose of aligning the starter shaft with theengine or propeller shaft.

Supported upon the upper member 33 is a rectangular frame 35 andextending upward therefrom and rigidly fastened there to are bearingbrackets 36, two of such brackets being shown and being braced longi-Journaled in the bearings of the brackets 36 is starter shaft 38, whichshaftis also slidable longitudinally in said bearings, the latter beingindicated at 39.

Shaft 38 is driven by means of a motor 40 (an electric motor beingshown), the shaft of said motor carrying a pinnion 41. 'The pinnion ismeshed into a gear 42 journaled on the counter-shaft, the latter havinga sprocket wheel 43 from which a chain M extends upwardly and around alarge sprocket wheel to, having a non-circular opening thru which anon-circular portion 46 of the starter shaft 38 is slidable. The wheelis held against moving withthe shaft 38 by means of a thrust bearing l7on one of the braclrets 36.

A sprocket chain and wheel guard 48 is employed to protect the sprocketgearing.

The starter shaft 38 is shiiitable longitudinally through the bearings39 and the Wheel 45 by means of a thumb-latch lever 49, the latch 50 ofwhich engages an arcuate ra k 51 secured fixedly to the frame '35..

. The swiveled connection 52 is provided he tween the lever 49 and theshaft 38 to allow tor the sliding movement of the latter. A storagebattery 53 is shown as mounted upon and supported by the frame 35 theenergy thereof being utilized to actuate the electric motor 4-0. Asuitable switch is PTO? of throwing the electo a position tric motor inand out of operation. Mount ed upon the projecting end of the startershaft. 38 is a clutch head, designated generally at C. Said clutch headcomprises a face or clutch-plate 54, having a plurality of holes ornotches 55 to receive and engage the usual nuts or bolt heads on thepropeller hub or, in other words, the bolts-by means of which thepropeller is fastened to the propeller flange of the propeller shaft.The clutch-plate 54 has on each of which is secured by fastening means57 to one end of one of a series of springs or spring-plates 58. Theother end of each spring is secured by fastening means 59 to theadjacent end of one of a series of spider arms 60, extending from a hub61, internally threaded and engaging one or more steeply pitched threads62 on the shaft 38.

Extending rearwardly from the hub fill are other spider arms 63, havingsecured thereto a hand wheel 64 which is made of sufiicient weight tocounter-balance the weight of the clutch-plate 5d and the parts adjacentthereto. This prevents the clutchhcad as a whole from tilting andbinding on the shaft 38. The hand wheel 34: enables the clutch-head tobe advanced by a rotative movement into position to engage the nuts onthe propeller hub, the final engagement being obtained by thrustinglever 49 toward the propeller hub until the nuts on the propeller hubenter the bolts or notches 55. When the aircraftengine starts, itrotates at a speed greater than the speed of the starter shaft 38; andconsequently, the clutch head is caused to recede away from thepropeller hub by means of threads 62 which engage the internallythreaded hub 61. The recessional movement of the clutch head isyieldingly arrested or cushioned by means of a-coiled butler spring 65,which lies behind the hub 81 and surrounds the shaft 38 and is backed upby a stop collar 66 adjustably secured to the shaft 38 by fasteningmeans 67, such as one or more set screws. The springs 58 yieldingly holdthe face-plate 54: against the propeller hub and also allow for anyinaccuracy of alignment between the starter shaft 38 and the propellershaft of the airplane.

lln operation, the wheeled truck is driven in front of the airplane sothat the wheel. of the truck stand at a right angle to the wheels of thelanding gear of the airplane. The starting mechanism is' then swunglaterally with respect to the truck, as shown in Figure 1. By means ofthe elevating mechanism, hereinabove described, the frame 35 is thenadjusted to the proper elevation. The sliding base is then moved tobring the starter shaft into plane of the propeller shaft. By means ofthe universal connection between the frame 35 and the elevatingmechanism,

its rear side lugs 53,.

ltlll frame is then tilted to the proper angle and the universal jointis clamped against further movement. ferr'ed to, the starter shaft 38 isbrought into actual alignment with the propeller shaft. The clampinghead C is then moved toward the end of the shaft 38 after which, bymeanspf the lever 59, face-plate 54 is thrust into engagement with thenuts on the propeller hub. This adjustment is maintained by means of thelatch engaging the rack 51. The switch controlling the electric motor isthen closed, imparting motion to the starting shaft 38 and cranking thepropeller shaft. As soon as the airplane engine takes up its cycle ofoperation, the excess of speed thereof over the speed of the startershaft 38 causes a recessional movement of the clutch-head which backsaway from the propeller hub and disconnects the starting mechanism fromthe hub of the airplane propeller. The truck carrying the startingmechanism may then be driven to propeller sh aft.

the next place of operation.

One of the most important features of the invention hereinabovedescribed is the mounting of the starter shaft and the actuating motorthereof on one and the same supporting frame, which frame is capable ofbeing raised and lowered, turned and tilted to any degree necessary toplace the starter shaft in actual alignment with the This allows themechanism of the whole to be brought into proper actuating relationtothe propeller shafts of the various types and kinds of aircraft now inuse.

I claim- 1. An engine starter embodying in combination, -a supportingbase, a superposed platform, shaft bearings fixedly securedto saidplatform, an engine starting shaft journaled in said bearings, astarting motor mounted on said platform for driving said starting shaft.and means for adjusting the height of said platform in relation to thesupporting base.

Y 2. An engine starter embodying in combination, a supporting base, asuperposed platform, shaft bearings fixedly secured to said platform, anengine. starting shaft journaled in said bearings, a starting motormounted on said platform for driving said starting shaft, and means foradjusting the angle of said platform in relation to the supporting base.

3. An engine starter embodying in combination, a supporting base, asuperposed platform. shaft bearings fixedly secured to said platform, anengine starting shaft journaled in said bearings, a starting motormounted on said platform for driving said starting shaft, and means fortilting said platform to change the angle of the starting shaft.

By the means just re-.

4. An engine starter embodying in combination, a supporting base, asuperposed platform, shaft bearings fixedly secured to said platform, anengine starting shaft journaled in said bearings, a starting motormounted on said platform for driving said starting shaft, and auniversal joint between said platform and the supporting. base.

5. An engine starter embodying in combination, a supporting base, asuperposed platform, shaft bearings fixedly secured to said platform, anengine starting shaft journaled'in said bearings, a starting motormounted on said platform for driving said starting shaft, a universaljoint between said platform and the supporting'base, and clamping meansto hold said joint rigid.

6. An engine starter embodying in combination, a supporting base, asuperposed platform, shaft bearings fixedly secured to said platform, anengine starting shaft journaled in said bearings, a starting motormounted on said platform for driving said starting shaft, a universaljoint between sai platform and the supporting base, and platformelevating means.

7. An engine starter embodying in comember and said shaft serving topress engine starting shaft, a clutch head thereon,

and threaded means for causing a positive recessional movement of theclutch head on said shaft when the speed of the engine shaft exceeds thespeed of the starting shaft.

10. The combination of a supporting base,

a platform adjustable in relation to said base, an engine startingshaftjournaled in fixed hearings on said'platform, and a motor mountedon'said platform in driving connection with said shaft. i

11. The [combination of a supporting base, a platform universallyadjustable in relation to said base, an engine starting shaft journaledin fixed bearings on said platform, and a motor mounted on said plat-'form in driving connection with said shaft.

12. The combination of a supporting base, a platform adjustable inrelation to said base, an engine starting shaft journaled 1n fixedbearings on said platform. a clutch head movable longitudinally of saidstarting shaft, and a motor mounted onsaid platform in drivingconnection with said shaft.

13. The combination of a supporting base, a platform adjustable inrelation to said base, an engine starting shaft journaled in fixedbearings on said platform, a recessionalclutch head on said startingshaft, and a motor mounted on said platform in driving connection withsaid shaft.

14. The combination of a supporting base, a platform adjustable inrelation to said base, an engine starting shaft journaled in fixedbearings on said platform, a recessional clutch head on said startingshaft, manually operable means for setting said clutch head in workingposition, and a motor mounted on said platform in driving connectionwith said shaft. 0

15. The combination of a slidable supporting base, a platform adjustablein rela tion to said base, an engine starting shaft journaled in fixedbearings on said platform, a clutch head movable longitudinally of saidstarting shaft, and a motor mounted on said platform in drivingconnection with said shaft.

16. The combination of a supporting base, a platform adjustable inrelation to sai base, an engine starting shaft journaled in fixedbearings on said platform, and a motor mounted on said platform indriving connection with said shaft, said supporting base being slidablein such manner as to en able the starting shaft to be shifted laterally.

17. The combination of a supporting base, a platform adjustable inrelation to said base, an engine starting shaft journaled in fixedbearings on said platform, a resilient" clutch head movablelongitudinally of said starting shaft, and a motor mounted on sa dplatform in driving connection with said shaft.

18. The combination of a supporting base, a platform adjustable inrelation to said base. an engine starting shaft journaled in fixedbearings on said platform, a counterbalanced clutch head movablelongitudinally of said starting shaft, and a motor mounted on saidplatform in tion. with said shaft.

19. An engine starter embodying in combination, a supporting base, asuperposed plat-form, shaft bearings fixedly secured to said platform,an engine starting shaft journaled in said bearings, a starting motormounted on said platform for driving said starting shaft, means forshiftingsaid shaft as a whole longitudinally, and means for locking saidstarter shaft against longitudinal movement.

20. In a field engine starter, a base, and a motor-driven rotarystarting shaft rigidly supported in bearings fixed to said base, saidbase being adjustable "to align said shaft with the propeller shaft ofan aircraft.

'21. In a field engine starter, a base, and a motor-driven rotarystarting shaft rigidly driving connectary a cranking shaft,

at/mere mechanical means for adjusting said base.

for the purpose specified.

22. In a field engine starter, a base, a rotary starting shaft rigidlysupported in bearings fixed to said base, a motor mounted on said baseand arranged to drive said starting shaft, and means for adjusting saidbase to align said shaft shaft of an aircraft.

23. In a field engine starter, a base, a .ro-

starting shaft rigidly supported in bearings fixed to said base, andhaving means to engage the engine shaft, a motor mounted on said baseand arranged to drive said starting shaft, and means for adjusting saidbase to align said shaft with the propeller shaft of an aircraft.

24. The combination with a motor vehicle, of a power driven device forstarting the engine of an aeroplane comprising a motor,

means for detachably connecting the cranking shaft with the propeller ofthe'aeroplane, means for operatively connecting the cranking shaft withthe motor, and means for adjusting the cranking shaft, motor.andconnecting means to en gage the cranking shaft with the aeroplanepropeller.

25. The combination with a vehicle, of a power driven device forstarting the engine of an aeroplane comprising a motor, a crankingshaft, means for detachably connecting the cranking shaft with thepropeller of the aeroplane, means for operatively connecting thecranking shaft with the mo tor, and means for adjusting the crankingshaft, motor and connecting means to engage the cranking shaft with theaeroplane propeller.

26. In an aeroplane launching device, the combination with an aerialpropeller, of a rotatable member adapted to engage said propeller, meansfor adjusting said member substantially longitudinally of the propelleraxis, and means for adjusting it laterally and also verticallyrelatively to said axis, all of said adjustments being manually operatedfrom a common point remote from the point of application of said member.

27. In an aeroplane launching device, the combination with an aerialpropeller, of a rotatable member adapted to engage said propeller, meansfor adjusting said member substantially longitudinally of the propelleraxis, and means for adjusting it laterallv and also verticallyrelatively to said axis, all of said adjustments being manually operatedfrom a common point remote from the point of application of said member.

28. In an aircraft engine starting device, the combination of asupporting base, a support adjustable in relation to sa d ba n with thepropeller engine starting shaft journaled in bearings on said support,and a motor mounted on said support in driving connection with saidshaft.

29. In an aircraft engine starting device, the combination of asupporting base, a support adjustable in relation to said base, anengine starting shaft journaled in fixed bearings on said support, and amotor mounted on said support in driving connection with said shaft.

30. An aircraft engine starter embodying in combination, a supportingbase, a superposed support, shaft bearings fixedly secured to saidsupport, an engine starting shaft journaled in said bearings, a startingmotor mounted on said support for driving said starting shaft, and meansfor adjusting the support in relation to the supporting base and in avertical plane.

In testimony whereof I have aifixed my signature.

CHARLES PL BREESE.

